Bartoluci, S. and Doupona-Topič, M.: A young athlete and the challenges... Acta Kinesiologica 11 (2017) Suppl 1: 116-120

A YOUNG ATHLETE AND THE CHALLENGES OF NATIONAL IDENTITY: THE CASE OF JAKOV FAK

Sunčica Bartoluci1 and Mojca Doupona-Topič2

1University of Zagreb, Faculty of Kinesiology, Croatia 2University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Sports, Slovenia

Review paper

Abstract Jakov Fak is a highly successful Croatian/Slovene athlete. When he won a bronze medal for Croatia in 2009, his sport (biathlon) was almost completely unknown to the Croatian public. However, he later appeared in media headlines when he announced his transfer to Slovenia in order to gain better training conditions. In addition to the other challenges in his life (training, hard work, competitions, living space, quality of life, family, etc.), he faced specific challenges regarding his ethnic/national identification. In Croatia (as in many other post-socialist countries), ethnic/national identity is a very important social issue. The case of Jakov Fak is interesting from a sociological perspective because it allows us to observe how individual, sports-related choices brought questions of national (ethnic) identification to the general public, and laid a heavy burden on the shoulders of a young athlete. What should you do when your own country calls you a traitor if you decide to join another country’s team? The issues of training and finding ways to attain success in sports are also closely linked with questions of media attention and national/ethnic discourse in this case as well. This paper deals with the case of Jakov Fak, who made his choices despite having to face challenges unusual for a young athlete.

Key words: Jakov Fak, young athlete, biathlon, national identity

Introduction

It is well known that sport in the sociological sense Under public pressure and through the work of the has been and remains a reflection of events on the Croatian Olympic Committee and the private social scene at large, allowing it to serve as a tool sector, funds were made available to ensure he for the understanding and analysis of society as a remain in Croatia. Cases of athletes who took whole (Perasović & Bartoluci, 2007). Numerous Croatian citizenship to compete for Croatia should examples show the irreplaceable role of sport and also be mentioned, such as footballer Eduardo da sporting successes in the construction and shaping Silva or basketball player Dontaye Draper. All of of national identity, especially in post-socialist these examples show the complexity of issues of societies (Bartoluci, 2013). Through the sporting national identity and the need for more successes of national heroes, individuals attain sociological analysis of its connection with pro- identity and feelings of pride, success, and power level sports. The issue of ethnic/national identity is they lack in their everyday lives, giving them a used regularly in political instrumentalisation, and status they would never have managed to attain antagonism between nations gradually moves through their own efforts. Anthony D. Smith from the political sphere to the world of sports. (1991, p. 160-1) says that perhaps the most The case of Jakov Fak, a Croatian biathlete, was important of function of national identity is “to also labelled as being of national significance and provide a satisfying answer to the problem of entered the limelight in 2009 after he won a personal oblivion. Identification with the ‘nation’ in bronze medal at the World Championship in South a secular era is the surest way to surmount the Korea. At this time, stories began appearing finality of death and ensure a measure of personal concerning his potentially exchanging his Croatian immortality.” The history of Croatian sport citizenship for Slovenian citizenship. Less than a provides a large number of examples of the year before winning his first medal at the World labelling of athletes who changed their citizenship Biathlon Championship,he began training with the (or considered doing so) and began competing for Slovenian team, led by Slovenian coach Uroš another nation-state, either out of mainly Velepec. An internal agreement existed between economic reasons or to attain better training the federations that Jakov Fak would begin conditions. Some of these cases went “under the competing for Slovenia after the end of the 2010 radar” of the general public, and most discussions Olympic cycle. It must be noted that training evaluating the decision to change citizenship only conditions for the biathlon in Croatia were took place after the athlete in question attained inadequate at the time, and that international significant sporting success. This was the case competitions in the biathlon are of key importance with Mirna Jukić, a swimmer of Croatian descent as no club teams exist, making international who had competed for Austria for years. Ten years competitions the only opportunity for biathletes to ago, swimmer Duje Draganja garnered public compete. What makes this case sociologically attention when he announced that he was going to interesting is the fact that a nearly unknown sport swim for Qatar. became well-known to the public almost overnight

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– Jakov’s medal at the World Championship was Concerning this issue, Jakov stated: I felt as if Croatia’s first-ever medal in the biathlon. Likewise, most people didn’t really understand how hard it the issue of Jakov Fak transferring from the was, and I was hurt by the fact that my medal Croatian team to the Slovenian team became an received a lot of attention, but only for a week, issue of “national” importance. In addition to the after which everything went back to how it used to other challenges in his life (training, hard work, be (Beluhan, 2010a). He explained the lack of competitions, living space, quality of life, family, interest in the biathlon among both the sports etc.), Jakov Fak faced specific challenges community and the general public as follows: regarding his ethnic/national identification. In this Athletes usually joke that fame in less important case, we can observe how individual, sports- sports lasts as long as the flowers you get at the related choices brought questions of national awards ceremony. So, when the flowers die a (ethnic) identification to the general public, and week later, your presence in the media dies too, laid a heavy burden on the shoulders of a young and you simply find yourself back on the margins. athlete. The aim of this research is to answer (personal communication, October 20, 2016). three questions: (a) how do Croatian and After his sporting successes, media reports of Slovenian print media perceive Jakov Fak as a Jakov’s transfer to Slovenia became a more young athlete; (b) which challenges and dilemmas common topic in both the Croatian and Slovenian did he have to face in his sports career, and; media. This transfer meant a change of citizenship (c)were these challenges related to issues of (nationality). Overnight, this previously unknown ethnic and civic nationalism? sport became recognized by the public, and switching from the Croatian team to the Slovenian Materials and Methods was an issue of “national” significance. Robert Kontak, the secretary general of the Croatian This paper deals with different media Biathlon Federation, said: “I am angry that the interpretations of this case in two countries, media constantly mentions Slovenia alongside Croatia and Slovenia. Different qualitative Fak’s name. Rubbish. They’ll pronounce him a methods were used – an interview with Jakov Fak, Slovenian in the end” (Dominković, 2009, p. 20). as well as content and discourse analysis of print media and documents. The analysis was After the first reports of his transfer from the performed on all texts concerning this topic Croatian team to the Slovenian team, Jakov was published in three high-circulation Croatian daily labelled by some of the Croatian media, while the newspapers – Jutarnji list, Večernji list, and Slovenian media “cheered” for his transfer to Sportske novosti – and three high-circulation Slovenia. This was not the first case of the Slovenian daily newspapers – Dnevnik, Delo, and labelling of a Croatian athlete who changed his Ekipa – three days before tournaments, during citizenship to ensure better sports training tournaments, and three days after tournaments. conditions. The biathlon, which had been We analysed two sporting events – the 2009 completely unknown to the Croatian media a few World Biathlon Championship and the 2010 Winter months prior, had suddenly become a political Olympics. We also analysed articles published in issue. This issue of “national importance” – rather, the digital editions of these newspapers during the the politicisation of the case – was to intensify summer of 2010. during the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, where Jakov won a bronze medal. The analysis of Results the discourse in media writings shows the complexity of the situation in which this young At the time of the 2009 World Biathlon athlete found himself as he was competing for one Championship in South Korea, both Jakov himself state but training in another. Both the Croatians and biathlon as a sport were completely unknown and the Slovenians wanted to place him under and unrecognized by the Croatian public and their flag. Despite the support of the Slovenian media. At this same time, the situation in Slovenia media and mostly affirmative reports on his differed significantly. Slovenians are usually successes, it was apparent that the people in known as a skiing nation, so the biathlon has a charge of the Slovenian biathlon were completely different status in Slovenia. For categorically insisting he change teams, because example, the day before the race in which he otherwise, as trainer Velepec stated, Jakov would win the bronze medal, the Croatian media “wouldn’t have anywhere to train!” (Hebar & did not write about the biathlon or about this race. Brajdić, 2010). To date, more than 100 foreign The biathlon in Croatia is a “small” sport, and is athletes have taken Slovenian citizenship, such as almost entirely unknown to the public – by a small Britta Bilač, Marija Šestak, and well-known track sport, we mean here that no biathlon course exists and field sprinter Merlene Ottey. Before the in Croatia, and thus there are no appropriate Olympics, Jakov stated that he did not want conditions for biathlon training. The Croatian Slovenian citizenship, but rather that he wanted to Biathlon Federation exists, but its work in the raise the biathlon in Croatia to a higher level (Ne sports scene has not brought any significant želim slovensko državljanstvo, već biatlon u results. The Croatian biathlon gradually began to Hrvatskoj na višoj razini, 2010), later saying: “I’m lose its anonymity after Fak’s first medal in definitely not going to Slovenia. I would like to use international competition, but the media’s interest my results to help Croatia build a biathlon course.” was to die out quickly. (Beluhan, 2010b).

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An analysis of the content of media messages Politicised discourse would not become the rule in shows the weight of the decision to change one’s the Croatian media, despite the increasing citizenship. At a press conference after winning his pressure for Fak and the Croatian Biathlon Olympic medal, his success in his sport seemed to Federation to make a clear statement on the issue have been overshadowed by the issue of his of citizenship. In the face of this increasing transfer. By the end of the games, Jakov had not pressure, Croatian Olympic Committee secretary yet decided: “It is neither easy nor simple, Josip Čop, in an expression of his personal opinion because it is a decision that will direct my career on the case, stated: “Some things have no price and my life.” (Beluhan, 2010c). He claimed that and are not for sale. When I say this, I am there was no room for politics in sports, accented thinking of citizenship.” (Bauer, 2010). Duje that he had connected with his colleagues from Draganja, a swimmer who found himself in a the Slovenian team as a family, that they were similar situation five years earlier when he had to cooperating and aspired to the same goal, and decide whether or not to accept a transfer to that journalists would not succeed in making a Qatar, said that the only advice he could give Fak political scandal of the situation (Šimnovec, 2010). after his experience was to “not read the Gradually, the public discourse of the Croatian newspapers and not watch television”, because media changed. Headlines spoke of the “decent” “where these things are in question, the media are Slovenians, who were not planning to bribe Fak bloodthirsty” (Jakove, ne čitaj novine, 2010). with Slovenian citizenship. However, after Borut Jakov Fak himself made consistent statements as Nunar, the director of the Slovenian biathlon an actor in this case. Croatian newspaper Večernji team, stated that an agreement had existed for list (Fak, 2009. za Delo: 99,9 posto nastupat ću za months between the Croatian and Slovenian Sloveniju, 2009) carried his statement from federations according to which Fak was supposed Slovenian newspaper Delo in which he said that he to transfer to Slovenia after the Olympics in knew people in Croatia would be disappointed and Vancouver and begin competing for the Slovenian would view him as a “traitor”, at which point it can team immediately (Langerholz, 2010), the be noted that his dilemma is related to the discourse in the Croatian media sharpened. First, problem of discourse typical for ethnic nationalism the media discussed “Saving Fak in 3 steps”, – you are either with us or against us. Despite the which consisted of: employing him in the military efforts of the Croatian Olympic Committee and or police force (civil service), completing the their success in finding a sponsor, Fak decided to construction of the Croatian centre in Mrkopalj, compete for Slovenia in the end. The Croatian and bringing trainer Velepec to Croatia. Biathlon Federation was unable to ensure him a condition he insisted on – working with Slovenian After this, the situation was politicised even trainer Velepec. In addition to this, Croatia did not further, citing “fears” that Fak might become “a have a good sparring team for training, while the new point in the Croatian-Slovenian controversy”. Slovenian team had everything “sorted out”, in his The collapse of Yugoslavia and the fall of words (Beluhan, 2010d). He would later state: I communism left many unresolved issues between came to a place with better conditions, I can use Croatia and Slovenia, such as border disputes, them to secure my livelihood, and that’s what I’m bank savings, fishing zones, etc. In addition to doing. (…) When I see the current state of the these existing issues, Jakov’s case became biathlon in Croatia, I want it to get better every another political issue: Oh, this is exactly what we year, but what I see and what is reality, (…) needed. First the Zagreb branch of Ljubljana Bank, unfortunately I don’t see it moving at a speed that the as of yet unresolved issues surrounding the would be necessary to advance from 2010 shared nuclear power plant in Krško, and then the onward, simply because the policies of the people dispute over the Ecological and Fisheries who ran that federation and their ways of thinking Protection Zone. Of course, there is also Sveta simply weren’t sufficient to the task (personal Gera mountain, which the Slovenians call Trdinov communication, October 20, 2016). During the vrh, then Savudrija Bay which the Slovenians summer months, with the entry into the new again have a different name for, the Bay of Piran. season, the media discourse and moral panic Yes, let us not forget Joško Joras’ flower pots and finally began to wane. “Fak repaid the Slovenians Mlini, Bužin, and Skudelin villages, or the for saving him” read one headline in Večernji list arbitration agreement and doubts as to whether (Hebar, 2010). Jakov Fak’s discourse as the actor it’s a good thing or not... Right when you think, in this story is founded mostly on sports motifs, that’s everything, there are no more points to the not national motifs. Although he is aware of the Croatian-Slovenian controversy, along comes connection between sport and national identity, as Jakov Fak. And whose flag he will choose. is apparent in his statement in which he accents Croatia’s or Slovenia’s. Who does he prefer, Ivan that he was honoured to compete for Croatia and Kukuljević Sakcinski, Croatian historian, writer, to carry the flag at the opening ceremonies of the the first to speak in Croatian Parliament in the Olympic Games, the desire to ensure a better Croatian language (1843), or France Prešern, the sports career was more powerful. Večernji list greatest Slovenian poet? (Bauer, 2010). We can carried his statement: I’m not to blame for this consider this a typical example of the creation of situation, I gave many warnings. It was an honour moral panic which will not succeed in spreading, to represent my country, I even carried the flag at likely due to the fact that the biathlon in Croatia is the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic a sport with a modest tradition and results. Games.

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It will be hard for me, but it would have been After winning his Olympic medals, Croatian harder and harder for me to achieve results had I Olympic Commission president Zlatko Mateša stayed. And results are all that keep you going, congratulated him on winning a “historic medal for otherwise everyone would be asking why Fak is Croatia” (Beluhan, 2010e). This medal was truly getting so much money and not showing results. “historic”, both literally and figuratively. Since Of course, pressure exists in Slovenia as well, but Jakov Fak’s victory, no Croatian biathlete has I will be more sure in my results there because of achieved any significant success at big my trainer (Fak: Bit će mi teško nastupati za competitions. Thanks to his commitment, Sloveniju, 2010). The Slovenian media cheered for ambition, and persistence, Jakov Fak attained Jakov and supported him even while he played for enviable sporting results for Croatia, a country in Croatia. Although Jakov beat Slovenian biathlete which skiing is the only socially “recognised” Klemen Bauer for the bronze medal, Bauer said winter sport. Despite this, the greatest challenge that Fak is a part “of our team, we’re only divided in his career was the issue of which team he would by a different flag”, and that “if Jakov played for compete for. Despite his clarity and consistency in the Slovenian team, Slovenia would be a world his media statements, particular structures within power.” (Okorn, 2010).They comment on how, the nation’s leading sports bodies attempted to after winning his bronze medal at the World solve the dilemma of the transfer by stressing the Championship, the Croatians promised Fak issue of national/ethnic identity. The case of Jakov “castles, but apparently only made of sand”. Fak did not reach the scale of moral panic, but in Dnevnik later reported that his Olympic medal had some ways the public was manipulated by the use lessened his chances for a transfer to Slovenia. It of national symbolism. Jakov’s trainer Uroš also carried a symbolic statement by trainer Velepec made a significant point when he said that Velepec prior to Fak’s departure to Vancouver, in the Slovenian team accepted Fak onto the national which he said that he hoped that Fak would team as a gesture of good will in a moment when perform as poorly as possible at the Olympic no one expected him to succeed, but that he Games because “when he’s not performing, no feared the Croatian public would crucify him one cares about him. When he was sick, no one “when he only wanted to advance in the sport he took care of him.” (Prestop dogovorjen, a ni was talented in.” What he couldn’t do in Croatia, mogoč, 2010). Jakov stated in the Slovenian he succeeded to do with the Slovenian team, and media that “Without the Slovenians, the medal he continued: “If he hadn’t joined us, today he wouldn’t have been possible (…) Velepec and the would likely be working a day job, because the entire Slovenian team, including the servicer, are Croatian federation doesn’t have a servicer, a to thank for the medal.”(Prestop dogovorjen, a ni course, or competition for training”, that is to say, mogoč, 2010). he would no longer have been able to compete in the biathlon, a sport into which he had invested Discussion and Conclusions much time, effort, and energy. Velepec finished his statement with the words: “This medal belongs Twenty five years after Croatia’s declaration of to Croatia, and no one can take it away from you. independence, national identity is still an But we did our part, and we expect him to keep up important issue for the Croatian public. It is still his end of the agreement” (Brajdić & Buškulić, apparent that sport represents the social changes 2010). Jakov Fak truly did fulfil his end of the and processes taking place in society at large. This agreement, and he began competing for Slovenia case illustrates how individual, sports-related in the 2010/2011 season. By competing for the choices raised issues of national (ethnic) Slovenian biathlon team under the flag of the identification among the general public, as well as Republic of Slovenia, Jakov Fak did not forsake his laying a heavy burden on the shoulders of a young ethnic (Croatian) identity, but he did change his athlete. Post-socialist societies still play the citizenship in order to advance in the sport he nationalism card whenever it is useful as a political loves, with the trainer he wanted, despite the tool. Jakov Fak is the first Croatian athlete to win threat of some members of the public in his home a medal in a Nordic discipline. country declaring him a traitor.

References

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Beluhan, R. (2010e). Medalja koja mora predodrediti budućnost biatlona. [A medal, which must predetermine the future of biathlon. In Croatian.]. Sportske novosti, February 15, 19. Brajdić, D., & Buškulić, A. (2010). Ne damo Faka Slovencima! [We won't give Jakov Fak to the Slovenes. In Croatian.]. Večernji list, February 24, 4. Dominković, K. (2009). Faka mi financiramo [We finance Fak. In Croatian.]. Sportske novosti, Febr., 19, 20. Hebar, S., & Brajdić, D. (2010). Od 2011. Jakov će nastupati za Sloveniju, inače neće imati gdje trenirati! – prijete Slovenci [Since 2011, Jakov will compete for Slovenia, otherwise he will have nowhere to train! - threaten Slovenes. In Croatian.]. Večernji list, February 15, 36. Hebar, S. (2010). Fak se odužio Slovencima jer su ga spasili. [Fak repaid the Slovenians for saving him. In Croatian.]. Večernji list, August 2, Retrieved from http://www.vecernji.hr/ ostali-sportovi/fak-se-oduzio- slovencima-jer-su-ga-spasili-174327 Langerholz, T. (2010). Faka Slovenci vole i nitko ga ne misli ucjenjivati [Slovenes love Fak and no one considers blackmailing him. In Croatian.]. Sportske novosti, February 16, 3. Okorn, J. (2010). Bauer: Nekdo mora biti četrti. [Bauer: Someone has to be the fourth. In Slovenian.]. Dnevnik, February 15, 23. Perasović, B., & Bartoluci, S. (2007). Sociologija sporta u hrvatskom kontekstu. [Sociology of Sport in the Croatian Context. In Croatian.]. Sociologija i prostor, 45(1), 105-120. Smith, A.D. (1991). National Identity. London: Penguin Books. Šimnovec, M. (2010). Ne bo političnega škandala. [There will be no political scandal. In Slovenian.]. Delo, February 17, 11. * * * (2010). Jakove, ne čitaj novine [Jakov, don't read the newspapers. In Croatian.]. Sportske novosti, February 25, 3. * * * (2010). Prestop dogovorjen, a ni mogoč. [Transfer is arranged but it is not possible. In Slovenian.]. Dnevnik, February 16,. Retrieved from https://www.dnevnik.si/1042337877 * * * (2009). J+akov Fak za Delo: 99,9 posto nastupat ću za Sloveniju [Fak said for Delo: 99,9 percent sure I will compete for Slovenia. In Slovenian.]. Večernji list, July 22, 5. * * * (2010). Bit će mi teško nastupati za Sloveniju [It will be hard for me to compete for Slovenia. In Croatian.]. Večernji list, August 1. Retrieved from http://www.vecernji.hr/ ostali-sportovi/fak-bit-ce-mi- tesko-nastupati-za-sloveniju-174381. * * * (2010). Ne želim slovensko državljanstvo, već biatlon u Hrvatskoj na višoj razini. [I do not want Slovenian citizenship, but biathlon in Croatia at a higher level. In Croatian.]. Večernji list, Febr., 15, 37.

MLADI SPORTAŠ I IZAZOVI NACIONALNOG IDENTITETA: SLUČAJ JAKOVA FAKA

Sažetak Jakov Fak je vrlo uspješan hrvatski / slovenski sportaš. Kad je 2009. osvojio brončanu medalju za Hrvatsku, njegov sport (biatlon) bio je gotovo potpuno nepoznat hrvatskoj javnosti. Međutim, kasnije se pojavio u medijskim vijestima kada je najavio svoj transfer u Sloveniju kako bi stekao bolje uvjete treninga. Pored drugih izazova u svom životu (trening, naporan rad, natjecanja, životni prostor, kvaliteta života, obitelj, itd.), sučelio se s određenim izazovima vezanim za njegovu etničku / nacionalnu identifikaciju. U Hrvatskoj (kao iu mnogim drugim postsocijalističkim zemljama), etnički / nacionalni identitet vrlo je važan društveni problem. Slučaj Jakova Fak je zanimljiv iz sociološke perspektive, jer nam omogućava promatranje kako individualni, sportski izbori donose pitanja nacionalne (etničke) identifikacije široj javnosti i postavljaju teška opterećenja na ramena mladog sportaša. Što bi trebalo učiniti kada vas vlastita zemlja zove ‘izdajnik’ ako se odlučite pridružiti momčadi druge zemlje? Pitanja obuke i pronalaženja načina za postizanje uspjeha u sportu također su usko povezana s pitanjima medijske pažnje i nacionalnog / etničkog diskursa u ovom slučaju. U radu se govori o slučaju Jakova Faku, koji je izvršio svoj izbor unatoč sučeljavanju s neuobičajenim izazovima za mlade sportaše.

Ključne riječi: Jakov Fak, mladi sportaš, biatlon, nacionalni identitet

Received: May 9, 2017 Accepted: June 10, 2017 Correspondence to: Sunčica Bartoluci, PhD Faculty of Kinesiology University of Zagreb 10000 Zagreb, Horvaćanski zavoj 15, Croatia Tel: + 385 1 3568 608 E-mail: [email protected]

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